Wake Up, Princess
by Unease
Summary: After a spell by the Ice King goes awry, Princess Bubblegum is trapped in a deep slumber, and can only be woken by her true love. It's up to Finn and Jake to play match-maker and convince that special someone that PB needs their help - Bubbline, (PB/Marceline). Oneshot.


**Just because I have feels for this ship. It's predictable and not particularly well written, but it's just for fun. It also doesn't help that I watched 'Sleeping Beauty' t**

**Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.**

–

"Get out of here, Marceline!"

Marceline turned to the source of the outburst, seeing a pretty pink figure staring back expectantly, arms folded and fingers drumming above her elbow.

"Somebody's grumpy. I thought you Candy People are all smiles and rainbows." Marceline remarked, reclining in the air, perfectly content to ignore Princess Bubblegum's wishes. Seeing the princess' face slowly becoming a deeper shade of pink in anger made her smirk.

"This is my birthday party, and I specifically do not remember inviting _you_. Now can you please leave?" PB asked, patience wearing thin. The last thing she needed was the vampire draining everything red from her kingdom. Not to mention her insufferable presence, her insolent smirk and unbearable demeanour. Her people did not need this sort of influence. And who knew what Marceline could get up to if left to her own devices?

"Eh, calm down _Bonnibel. _What do you think I'm gonna do, burn the place down?"

"I'd like you to leave." PB stated calmly, trying to keep her frustration under wraps. The last thing she wanted was Marceline smug over provoking a reaction.

"C'mon, I'm the life of the party here. Look at how _boring_ everything is, all prim and proper and perfect." Marceline said, not seeing the pang of hurt flash across Bubblegum's eyes.

PB gritted her teeth.

She had spent so long planning her party to be perfect and entertaining for all involved, and here was some _stupid _girl saying it was boring. What did she know anyway? She was over a thousand years old, maybe _her _ideas of an awesome party were boring.

"If it's so boring, just leave. The door is open. Leave. You're upsetting my guests, and I don't want you around." PB demanded, noticing the amount of attention they were garnering. Finn and Jake appeared from the crowd.

"Is everything okay, Peebles?" Finn asked, always caring about others.

"Marceline was just leaving, weren't you?" PB asked pointedly, "Unless you need escorting, of course. I don't need your presence here."

Marceline huffed, "You only care about your stupid subjects. You always have put them before me. All they do is kiss your feet. Without that crown you would be nothing! Whatever, I'm done here anyway."

This time, she did notice the hurt in the other girl's eyes, and instantly regretted every word. She tried to approach the other girl, "Bonnie, I'm so-"

"Don't!" PB exclaimed, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, "Just... don't."

"I think you should leave." Finn said, puffing out his chest, ready to neutralise the situation. Marceline didn't need to be told twice, and quickly flew from the castle, not caring where she ended up.

_Damn it, you always do this, Marceline. You destroy everything you touch!_

–

PB sat on her bed, not caring that her guests downstairs were left to their own devices. Her birthday had been ruined as far as she was concerned. Tears began pooling in her eyes once more.

"Peebles, she didn't mean any of it." Finn comforted, trying to turn the situation positive.

"Yeah man, you know Marceline. She's all _boo-hiss _and scowly. And temperamental. She doesn't like being told what to do." Jake explained.

"What if she's right? What if the only reason people like me is because of my crown? Because they feel obliged to?" Princess Bubblegum asked, taking the mentioned garment from her head and observing it.

"Nah, you're an awesome princess. You're kind to everybody and you help them, more than they know. People don't love someone because of their royalty, they love them for their actions. I mean, look at Lemongrab. Only Lemongrab likes Lemongrab." Finn stated.

"I just don't know why we're so volatile together. Like a violent chemical reaction. I want to _like _her and get along with her but she makes it so _difficult,_" Bubblegum confided, looking wistfully through the window to the horizon dotted with stars. The vampire would be out there somewhere, probably laughing at how PB was reacting, "She just knows how to push all my buttons, and it drives me mad!"

"So what's the history between you and Marceline? Spill the deets." Jake requested, falling back onto the bed and getting comfortable.

"Oh, well, it's a long story..." PB replied uncomfortably, looking down at her hands, "I don't think you need to hear it really..."

"C'mon Peebles, it might explain some things. Tell us." Finn urged, he too flopping back on the bed, arms behind his head.

"Really, it's not that inte-"

"_Please_?" She turned around and saw Finn and Jake pouting, eyes gleaming. She sighed in defeat, and turned to face them, knees against her chest with her arms wrapped around them.

"Well, we were close friends at one point. We would hang out together, you know, watch movies, that sort of stuff. She was so nice to me back then, I mean sure, she was still witty and annoying sometimes, but it was _endearing _I guess, I liked it." PB explained, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Wow, you were _friends_? Without all the glaring and fighting?" Finn inquired, seemingly awestruck that the two could be in a room together without a conflict occurring. Bubblegum sighed.

"At one point, yes. Then one day, it all changed. We were hanging out as usual, but she was being weird. She was really quiet, and that wasn't like Marceline at all. I asked her what was wrong, and she just kissed me. I did what anybody would do-"

"Ooh, ooh, did you kiss her back?" Jake asked excitedly, now laying on his stomach, gripping the sheets.

"No Jake, no matter how much I-" Bubblegum blushed and cut herself off, "The Candy people would never allow it. There are rules and customs, they aren't ready for tradition to be broken."

"PB, not many people care about tradition any more. Your people will be cool with whatever you do." Finn said, frowning.

"I wish that were true, Finn. Either way, I slapped her and told her to stay out of my life, and that princesses do not engage in such acts. I know now that maybe I shouldn't have been so forceful, I've regretted it ever since."

"Do... do you like like her, Princess?" Finn asked, the pieces falling together. _Their emotional interactions, the anger between them, the reason why Bubblegum had Marceline's shirt..._

"I-I do, but I've tried suppressing it for so long, every time I see that silly smirk I get this strange feeling, like I have swallowed a mouthful of love potion, my chest gets tight. And when she sings... it feels... indescribable." PB confessed, now realising why Marceline was so bitter...

The Princess had always been told it was best to put your people before your desires, but was it best to put them before your heart? She had constantly put the Kingdom before Marceline. The other girl had spent glob-knows how long being kicked out of Candy Kingdom events simply because PB was scared at how a citizen might react to her behaviour. Was that the reason, or had she simply tried to hang on to the last bit of resistance she had by distancing herself from the vampire?

"You my lady have been bitten by the love bug," Jake spoke, emphasis on the word 'love', "Unfortunately, you are both a bit stupid."

"Don't worry Peebles, we'll fix this!" Finn declared, springing to his feet. He headed for the door, only to have it slammed in his face. Peppermint Butler entered the bedroom as Finn slumped to the floor, groaning in pain.

"Princess! I fear the guests are becoming ill-natured and require your presence." He announced. PB sighed.

"Tell them I shall be there in a minute." She replied, reluctantly placing the crown back onto her head.

–

"So what's the plan anyway?" Jake asked, Finn riding on his back as he strode across the lands to Marceline's current dwelling.

"Listen to Marceline's side of the story and then get her and PB in the same room somehow. Then they will talk out their problems and smooch through the night!" Finn said, pleased with his scheming.

"I'm as excited as you dude, but what if Marceline doesn't feel like that anymore? What would we tell Princess Bubblegum?"

"Did you _see _the emotion in her eyes when PB was kicking her out? That's raw man. _Raw_. Only love can provoke such feeling. Only. Love."

"Yeah whatever man, you're freakin' me out." Jake responded, landing at the mouth of the cave where the vampire resided. Finn hopped down from his back as Jake shrunk down to normal size.

"We have to be sneaky, Marceline is probably still angry from last night," Finn said, ducking behind a rock, Jake next to him, peering into the windows of the house, "Can you see anything?"

"Nah, just empty rooms. She probably doesn't want people snooping around her house, so we should come back-"

"Wait, do you hear that?" Finn asked, ignoring Jake's reluctance to be there. Jake listened closely and found he too could hear what Finn was talking about. Bass notes. And a voice that was unmistakeably Marceline's.

"_You're my biggest regret,  
__You're the thorn in my side  
__I'm all caught up in your net  
__But all you want is to live your lies"_

"Yeesh, someone's emotional." Jake commented. Finn's face set in determination.

"C'mon, we need to sort this out head on." He said, standing from his place behind the rock and walking to the door. He gave it three sharp knocks and the music suddenly stopped. Jake peeked out from his hiding place as the door creaked open.

"What do you twerps want?! I don't want to see _anybody_ right now." Marceline spat, blush creeping up her cheeks upon realising they heard her song.

"We're here to fix this situation with you and Princess Bubblegum." Finn responded, unnerved by the girl.

"I didn't realise the _Princess _would send her army of butt-kissers to do her dirty work." She hissed, reluctantly letting the pair into the threshold.

"We are not butt-kissers!" Jake retorted, hands on hips, "And I prefer the term tushie-smoocher."

"Whatever," She grumbled, hovering in the air above her couch, "I don't know what you want from me right now. I haven't done anything wrong, so I'm not apologising."

"Marceline, you know you said some bad things to her, and they really hurt-"

"That's all anyone cares about! Bubblegum, Bubblegum, Bubblegum! What about me? Just because I don't show I'm sad sometimes doesn't mean words don't hurt me! Why is she adored and I'm hated? I'm not perfect, but I don't act like I am, unlike _her. _But of course, I'm not good enough for your praise and your loyalty. I don't kiss your feet and make you feel like you're royalty and treat you like you're superior to me." She rambled angrily, Finn and Jake unsure of when to interrupt.

"Uh, I think you should be saying these things to her, not us." Finn said.

"I don't see why I should even talk to her right now. She doesn't want me around anyway, she'd get her banana guards to escort my _rascally_ presence from the building." The girl mumbled, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"She's wants to make things better, all you have to do is see her." Jake advised, wanting to be out of there.

"Well that's too bad, I'm never seeing her again. Just as she wants."

The sound of Finn's frustrated face-palm echoed across the land of Ooo.

–

"No one can save you now, Princess, you're all _mine_." Ice King cackled, voice filled with glee, holding PB by her forearms.

"Ugh, get off of me you weirdo!" She screamed, hoping someone in the castle would hear her plight, struggling against the wizard.

"Never! I've been waiting so long for this, no Finn or Jake in sight. Who knew it was as easy as hiding under your pretty pink bed?" He taunted, "Gunter! Open the window! Escape!"

He flew out of the castle holding the Princess beneath her arms, her legs kicking beneath her as they disappeared into the night sky, stars twinkling overhead, oblivious to her distress.

"Finn and Jake will find me Ice King, and when they do you're totally-"

"Can it, Princess. They won't know until the morning, and by then we will be newlyweds, ready to step out into the world together as man and wife!" Ice King interrupted, beard flapping wildly, "This time you're finally mine!"

"I will never be yours, Ice King." PB declared, realising her efforts to wriggle free were futile.

The wizard quickly locked her in his princess cage upon entering his castle. He perused the bookshelf, looking for a particular item. When he eventually found it, he held it up in triumph.

"Aha! My old, trusty spell book! Most of these spells are forbidden you know, but I'm sure bending the rules a little in the name of love won't hurt anybody," He said, rifling quickly through the pages, eventually finding the spell he needed, "Ah Princess, this spell will prove to you that I am your true love."

"No, please, just let me go." PB pleaded, frantically gripping the icy bars of her prison.

"No can do, honey. I'm your true love, and this spell will make you realise it." Ice King stated, rehearsing the incantation in his head. Princess Bubblegum gasped.

"You're gonna force me to love you with a spell?!" She exclaimed, the realisation that no one was coming to save her dawning on her, the panic in her heart rising.

"Oh dear, of course not! You make me out like I am some sort of creepy old man," He replied, chuckling, "This spell will just put you into a deep sleep; once you're in that sleep, only the kiss of a true love can wake you."

"You aren't my true love! Please, let me go!" She begged, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. What if she never opened her eyes again?

Ice King ignored her, now beginning to mumble the spell.

"_Fire and ice, ancient power_

_Come help me in my finest hour_

_Send this damsel into sleepy bliss_

_To be woken by a true love's kiss"_

A beam of light emanated from the book, piercing Princess Bubblegum's chest. A second later, she was deep in slumber on the floor.

"Wow, this old thing actually worked," Ice King noted, impressed with himself and waggling his fingers, "I've still got it! Now Gunter, Gunther, Goonter, the rest of you, get her out of that cell and lay her on the bed. It's time for her to see that I really am the one for her."

The penguins heeded his command, and moved the comatose princess from the cell to the bed, propping her head up with a plush pillow. Ice King giggled, bouncing on his toes in excitement. He made his way to her, leaning until his face was a couple of inches above hers.

"Pucker up, Princess. It's time," He lowered his lips to hers, kissing gently. He quickly sprang back upright, waiting anxiously for the results. He twiddled his fingers nervously as time passed. His penguins stared at him expectantly, "Don't look at me like that Gunter. It probably just needs a little more time to kick in. I hope..."

Minutes passed, slowly turning into hours. Eventually, Ice King had to accept defeat.

"Okay, maybe I'm not her true love. Doesn't matter, got princess action. Argh, Finn and Jake are going to kill me when they realise she's missing."

Gunter shrugged.

"Of course! Great plan, Gunter. I'll just take her back before the sun rises. They won't know that _I_ was the one to cast a spell on her! That means of course that they won't know how to bring her back from her slumber but... oh well, these things happen with magic." Ice King spoke, lifting the princess into his arms and flying out of the castle and back to the Candy Kingdom, the night threatening to split into daylight.

–

"Oh no, what are we going to do?" A Candy Person cried, the population of the Candy Kingdom filled with worry and hopelessness at the situation. They had found out that morning that their beloved Princess Bubblegum had not woken at her usual early time; at first, her butler had thought that perhaps she was simply tired, she deserved a break after all, and left her be. However, it became increasingly clear that she was not going to awaken.

"Please Finn... Jake... please say she isn't... _gone_!" Cinnamon Bun cried before bursting into tears.

"Everybody, don't panic. Princess Bubblegum has just been placed under a spell. We don't know what kind of spell it is yet, but we're working on it! Just give us time and everything will be fine!" Finn explained, trying to soothe the fear of the worried masses. He and Jake retreated into the castle and to PB's quarters, seeing the Princess sleeping peacefully, the rise and fall of her chest indicating she was indeed alive.

"There's only one creepy dude that could be behind this," Jake said, "And that's the Ice King."

"I say we go get some _answers._" Finn whispered determinedly, punching his palm with his fist.

"Wait! Wait! We've had a breakthrough!" Dr. Ice Cream announced hurriedly, entering the room, a book in hand.

"What's wrong with her? We'll find any medicine you need." Finn said, anxious to help his friend.

"The only cure for this condition caused by the spell is a true love's kiss." The doctor announced, pleased with her diagnosis. She had had many castle servants searching the castle for any 'old-looking books' and had finally found what she was looking for. Both Finn and Jake's faces dropped.

"And how are we meant to know who that is?!" Jake exclaimed, arms waving in the air, "She could be like this for a long long time before we find them."

"It is the only way." Dr. Ice Cream responded. Finn sighed.

"Well dude, we have to organise some way of getting every person in the land to kiss her, starting with those closest to her. This is kinda gross..."

"It's the only way man. The _only way_."

–

"Yeah, stop slopping all over her, Cinnamon Bun, you ain't waking the lady," Jake chided. Cinnamon Bun groaned and left the room, "Next!"

Tree Trunks was next in the line that extended right out of Princess Bubblegum's room and through the castle doors. Finn gestured for her to kiss the Princess.

"Oh Finn, Jake, you should know I'm in love with Mr. Pig, so I can't be Princess Bubblegum's true love." She drawled.

"Sorry Tree Trunks, just basic procedure." Finn apologised. Tree Trunks sighed.

"I love my Mr. Pig, so _round _and _strong_, not like those _lean _ne'er-do-wells who like to trick ladies these days."

_'Lean, huh? That sounds like a memory cue. Come on, Jake. Lean. Lean lean leeean,' _Jake toyed with the word in his mind until the meaning finally hit him, "Marceline!"

Finn gasped, "Of course! Everyone get out of the way, and no-one touch the Princess until we're back!"

Banana guards stood protecting Princess Bubblegum whilst the two exited the room quickly, pushing people aside in their rush to see the vampire.

–

"So you're telling me that she has been put into an eternal slumber _unless _her true love kisses her?" Marceline asked, though it was more a deadpan statement, making the idea seem totally ludicrous.

"It's true! And we think it's you, so you have to come now and kiss her so she wakes up. Please, PB needs you. Do it for her." Finn requested, looking pleadingly at her. Marceline rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, the chances of me being her _true love _are non-existent. She probably has some handsome prince somewhere puckering up to the mirror in preparation. She... she will have someone perfect waiting for her. I'm not perfect." She spoke, looking down, unable to hide her sadness.

"She never said you had to be perfect." Finn replied, mirroring Princess Bubblegum's words from the incident with the Door Lord. Marceline sighed in defeat.

"Where are you keeping her?"

–

"This totally ain't gonna work, you guys." Marceline asserted, looking upon the slumbering princess.

"It's worth a try." Jake responded. The vampire looked at him and Finn.

"Can you guys go if I'm gonna do this? I feel weird with you standing there watching me." She asked, grimacing. Finn and Jake walked to the door.

"Just don't do anything... _freaky _with her sleeping body." Jake joked, soon scuttling from the room as she angrily transformed into her wolf form and growled at him.

"We'll be back soon." Finn said before following Jake from the room.

"Uh... I don't really... I don't know how to do this, Bonnie," Marceline confided to the sleeping girl, "The last time I did this I got slapped, remember?"

She knelt next to the bed, gingerly taking Princess Bubblegum's hand, warm and soft compared to her own, which was cold and callused. Leaning over PB's sleeping frame, she ever-so-gently pressed her lips to the girl's. A warm, tingling sensation she hadn't felt for a long time began at the back of her neck before travelling to the rest of her body. She reluctantly pulled away, heart swelling with the bitter feeling of disappointment upon seeing the girl still sleeping.

"I-I guess we weren't meant to be, Bonnibel." Marceline uttered, surprised to feel tears prick at her eyes. She turned away from the bed and let them fall as she walked to the door. Just as her hand touched the handle, she heard a groan from behind her.

"Mar-Marceline? Is that you?" Princess Bubblegum asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. The vampire's breath hitched, and she hurriedly wiped the tears from her face before facing the girl.

"Bonnie, I didn't- I didn't think you would wake up-"

"You're my one true love?" PB asked, almost as a statement, shakily rising to her feet from the bed. Marceline's shoulders slumped in resignation.

"I don't know, maybe the spell is wrong, maybe there is a way to change it... I'm sorry I had to kiss you, if there was another way-"

"Shut up you big doofus!" PB exclaimed, throwing herself into the older girl's arms, "I'm so sorry for everything bad I've said to you."

"Bonnie... you don't need to be sorry."

"Yes I do, and I- wait, have you been crying?" The princess asked, noticing the sheen of moisture on Marceline's face.

"No I was just-" Marceline saw PB's skeptical face and smiled feebly, scratching the back of her head, "Okay, maybe a bit... I thought you weren't going to wake up, and I couldn't handle not being the one you want the most."

"You've always been the one I want, I was just too stupid and ignorant to admit it to myself until now." PB admitted, stepping back and shyly holding Marceline's hand.

The vampire smirked, "Maybe we should kiss one more time, you still look a bit sleepy..."

Princess Bubblegum slapped the girl's wrist playfully before complying with the unsaid request, this kiss being much deeper and passionate than the last, reflecting all the lost time between them.

"Yo! Marceline! Everything okay in there?" Finn asked from behind the door, the sound of his voice startling the girls and breaking their kiss.

Marceline groaned, "Yeah twerp, we're fine."

The door swung open, Finn and Jake rushing into the room to ask PB if she was okay, checking her for any signs of abnormalities.

PB giggled and embraced them, "I'm fine boys! Thanks for _everything._"

"No problem Peebles," Finn reassured, "Do you want us to tell your people you're okay?"

The princess thought carefully about her decision before saying, "Hmm, not yet Finn. We have some... catching up to do."

Finn blushed and quickly exited the room, mumbling something about 'Ice King butt-whoopin'. Jake narrowed his eyes at them, "No further than Tier 8, you understand?"

"Alright _Dad," _Marceline mocked, pushing him out of the room and closing the door. She walked over to PB, "He sets the rules, but rules are made to be broken."

"Usually I would condemn the breaking of rules, but I think in this case I can make an exception..." Princess Bubblegum lilted, pressing her lips to Marceline's, fully intending to make up for lost time.

**End**

–

**Well, there you have it. Hope you enjoyed the read!**

**x**


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